TExES Test

The Texas Examinations of Educators Standards test (TExES) series is a comprehensive and challenging battery of assessments for men and women interested in teaching or working in schools in the state of Texas. The examinations are based on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills standards.

TExES exams are criterion-referenced, meaning that scores are based on an objective standard rather than on the performance of other test takers. Candidates must pass a TExES test in order to obtain certification in Texas. These exams, a mixture of multiple-choice and essay questions, cover general subjects and specific content areas, ranging from American Sign Language to physical education. There is a special set of examinations for bilingual educators.

The Texas teacher certification tests are administered by computer in special testing facilities. In order to sit for the examination, candidates must bring an admission ticket and a piece of valid identification displaying their name, signature, and a recent photograph.(You can find out more about the process on this site).

The score for a TExES test is based on the number of questions answered correctly, otherwise known as the raw score. This raw score is placed on a scale from 100 to 300 according to an algorithm that takes into account the relative difficulty of the test version. The minimum passing score is 240. There is no distinction between unanswered questions and questions answered incorrectly, so it is always best to guess when uncertain.

TExES Study Guide

Start learning how to be successful on your TExES exam. Our TExES study guide is guaranteed to help you get the results you deserve on your TExES test. Some test takers prefer to study using flashcards and so we have created the best TExES flashcards that cover everything you need to know for the TExES exam. Note that using multiple study aids will help you maximize the benefit from your study time.

TExES Tests – Generalist 4-8 Exam Practice Test

1. Which of the following is a classroom activity that would help develop students’ understanding of the rules of pragmatics?

a. Playing a game in which students must identify the parts of speech in sentences
b. Reading a text and making inferences from it about what the author is like
c. Conducting small group discussions followed by the students summarizing their discussion partners’ comments on the discussion topic
d. Using contextual clues and word analysis to infer the meanings of unfamiliar words

2. Which of the following statements most accurately describes the role of 4th through 8th grade teachers with respect to fostering students’ oral language development?

a. Because most students in grades 4 through 8 have already mastered oral language, teachers in these grades may safely concentrate on other aspects of language development
b. Teachers in grades 4 through 8 should monitor students for evidence of language delays, but activities designed to enhance oral language skills are not necessary
c. Teachers with students in grades 4 through 8 should spend more class time on developing students’ oral language skills than on developing reading and writing skills because oral language skills are more critical to academic success
d. Most students in grades 4 through 8 have mastered basic oral language skills, but teachers should still incorporate class activities designed to enhance higher-order oral language skills

3. Amanda is a 6th grade student who has been diagnosed with a receptive language disorder. As a direct result of her disability, which of the following tasks is she is most likely to have problems with?

4. Jorge, a 5th grade student who recently transferred to Mr. Banks’ class, is showing signs of an expressive language disorder. Mr. Banks has scheduled a conference with Jorge’s parents in order to learn more about Jorge and attempt to pinpoint the problem. Which of the following questions could yield information that might help to account for Jorge’s difficulties?

a “Is English Jorge’s first or second language?”
b. “Does Jorge have a hearing impairment, or has he ever had his hearing tested?”
c. “Has Jorge ever had a brain injury?”
d. All of the above

5. Which of the following activities demonstrates an effective use of oral language practice to facilitate reading comprehension?

a. Students take turns reading aloud from a text (“round-robin” reading)
b. Students read aloud together from a text (choral reading)
c. Students practice pronouncing unfamiliar vocabulary words from a text, and then read the text aloud
d. Students discuss what they already know about the subject of a text they’re about to read in order to activate prior knowledge

TExES Answers

1. C: Pragmatics is a critical aspect of oral language development that involves understanding the social rules and overtones of conversation, as well as interpreting the nonverbal signals given by others. By participating in a small-group discussion and summarizing their discussion partners’ comments, students will practice listening and interpreting others’ oral comments.

2. D: Most students in grades 4 through 8 have mastered basic oral language skills, but teachers should still incorporate class activities designed to enhance higher-order oral language skills such as persuasion, summarizing, listening and responding appropriately to others’ opinions, and engaging an audience.

3. A: Students with receptive language disorders have difficulty translating written and spoken language into meaningful ideas. This makes it difficult for students to understand oral directions. Some students with receptive language disorders also have accompanying expressive language disorders, meaning that they struggle to translate everyday concepts into words. They may have difficulty giving instructions to others or learning classroom routines, but these outcomes are not direct results of the receptive language disorder.

4. D: There are many possible explanations for expressive language difficulties aside from an expressive language disorder. Students who have hearing impairments or who speak English as a second language may have difficulty expressing themselves, as do some students with receptive language disorders. Some students who do have expressive language disorders acquired them due to a brain injury, so it is important to inquire about relevant medical history in such cases.

5. D: Using oral language practice to improve students’ vocabulary and reading comprehension skills is a common practice in many classrooms. Discussing a text aloud before reading it allows students to activate prior knowledge about the topic, connect vocabulary words that are part of their oral repertoire to the written words on the page, and gain additional information about the text through nonverbal cues provided by the teacher and other students.